Two Charged in 2018 Halloween Murder of 6-Year-Old

The Hawai`i Police Department charged two suspects for the 2018 murder of a 6-year-old boy on Halloween night.

At about 4:20 p.m. on October 31, 2018, Kona patrol officers responded to a call at the Kailua-Kona Fire Station involving a 6-year-old boy who had been transported there while unconscious by a family member.

The child was reportedly involved in an incident at an apartment complex in the 74-900 block of Manawalea Street in Kailua-Kona.

According to authorities, the child was transported from the Kailua-Kona Fire Station to the Kona Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead at approximately 5:30 p.m.

Injuries sustained by the child were not consistent with those from an accident, according to Police.

The child was identified as Mazen Kaniela Nihipali-Moniz.

Detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section continued the investigation and with the assistance of the Hawai`i County Prosecutor’s office secured a grand jury indictment on two suspects late last month. This indictment had been under seal until Tuesday.

On Monday, the two suspects were arrested. They are identified as 34-year-old Ashley Rose Nihipali and 32-year-old Kuuipo Leinaala Nihipali, both of Hawaiian Paradise Park.

Ashely Rose Nihipali has been charged with murder in the second degree, six counts of felony abuse of a family or household member, tampering with physical evidence and two counts of Terroristic threatening in the first degree.

Kuuipo Leinaala Nihipali has been charged with two counts of Murder in the second degree, six counts of felony abuse of a family or household member, hindering prosecution in the first degree, tampering with physical evidence and two counts of terroristic threatening in the first degree.

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